Israel, Nicaragua Restore Ties After 7-Year Hiatus

By Kaamil Ahmed





Israel and Nicaragua have renewed their diplomatic ties seven years after they were suspended, Israeli prime ministerial spokesman Ofir Gendelman tweeted Wednesday.





Nicaragua suspended its relations with Israel in 2010 after Israeli forces raided the Mavi Marmara aid flotilla headed for the blockaded Gaza Strip.





Turkey also broke off relations with Israel after the incident, when 10 Turkish activists were killed in international waters, but agreed to restore full ties with Israel last year after lengthy negotiations.





Nicaragua was one of several Latin American countries that heavily criticized Israel's reaction to the Mavi Marmara incident as well as Israel's last military onslaught on the Gaza Strip in 2014, when more than 2,300 Palestinians were killed and tens of thousands injured. -